Taylor's Version She Finally Owns Her Music (Again!)

Taylor Swift Regains Control: Buys Back Master Recordings of First Six Albums

In a monumental victory for artist rights and a heartwarming moment for her dedicated fanbase, Taylor Swift has announced that she has successfully bought back the master recordings of her first six albums. This landmark achievement grants her complete control over her entire early catalogue for the very first time.

“I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away,” Swift shared in an emotional letter to her fans. “But that’s all in the past now. All of the music I’ve ever made … now belongs … to me.”

A Long and Winding Road to Ownership

The journey to regaining her masters has been a complex and public one. In 2019, Swift's original record label, Big Machine, sold her master recordings to music executive Scooter Braun without giving her the opportunity to purchase them herself. Swift described this sale as her “worst case scenario.” She claimed she was offered the chance to "earn" one album back for each new album she recorded for the label.

Braun later sold the master recordings to the private equity firm Shamrock Capital in November 2020, reportedly for a staggering $300 million.

A New Chapter with Shamrock Capital

In a surprising turn of events, Swift revealed that she acquired her masters – along with her videos, concert films, album art, photography, and unreleased songs – directly from Shamrock Capital. While rumors swirled that the acquisition cost her between $600 million and $1 billion, sources suggest those figures are inflated.

Swift expressed her gratitude to Shamrock Capital for offering her the opportunity to buy her music outright: “All I’ve ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright with no strings attached, no partnership, with full autonomy.”

She continued, “I will be forever grateful to everyone at Shamrock Capital for being the first people to ever offer this to me. The way they’ve handled every interaction we’ve had has been honest, fair and respectful… I am endlessly thankful.”

The "Taylor's Version" Era and Its Impact

Undeterred by the initial loss of her masters, Swift embarked on an ambitious project to rerecord her first six albums, branding them "(Taylor’s Version)" and including "From the Vault" tracks from the original songwriting sessions. This strategic move aimed to regain control over her catalogue and diminish the value of the original recordings.

Between 2021 and 2023, she released the rerecorded versions of:

• Fearless (Taylor's Version)
• Red (Taylor's Version)
• Speak Now (Taylor's Version)
• 1989 (Taylor's Version)

The success of these rerecordings has been phenomenal, breaking chart records and reaffirming Swift's artistic power. In the UK alone, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) achieved higher first-week combined streams and sales (184,000) than the original total of 90,000 a decade earlier.

What About "Reputation (Taylor's Version)"?

Fans have eagerly anticipated the release of Reputation (Taylor's Version) and Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version). Swift addressed these expectations directly, admitting that she had only rerecorded a fraction of "Reputation."

“The Reputation album was so specific to that time in my life, and I kept hitting a stopping point when I tried to remake it,” she explained. "To be perfectly honest, it’s the one album in those first six that I thought couldn’t be improved upon by redoing it."

However, she hinted that the unreleased "Reputation From the Vault" tracks might still see the light of day, and confirmed that she has rerecorded her debut album. "Those two albums can still have their moments to re-emerge when the time is right, if that would be something you guys would be excited about. But if it happens, it won’t be from a place of sadness and longing for what I wish I could have. It will just be a celebration now.”

A Legacy of Empowerment

Swift’s battle for her masters has sparked crucial conversations within the music industry about artist rights and ownership. She highlighted the positive impact of her experience, stating, “Every time a new artist tells me they negotiated to own their master recordings in their record contract because of this fight, I’m reminded of how important it was for all of this to happen.”

Her unwavering determination and public stance have paved the way for future generations of artists to assert greater control over their creative work.

Ultimately, Taylor Swift's reclaiming of her masters is more than just a business transaction; it's a powerful statement about the importance of artistic ownership, resilience, and the unwavering support of a dedicated fanbase. It's a story that will undoubtedly resonate within the music industry and beyond for years to come, inspiring artists to fight for their rights and reminding us all that anything is possible with passion, determination, and the love of a community.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/30/taylor-swift-buys-back-master-recordings-taylors-versions